a whirl (well, maybe not
if you’re driving).The Drive » Head back to
Front Royal, as you’ll enter
Skyline Drive from there. From
the beginning of Skyline Drive,
it’s 5.5 miles to Dickey Ridge.4 Skyline Drive:
The Beginning
Skyline Drive (%540-
999-3500; http://www.nps.gov/
shen; north entrance at Front
Royal; car $10; c) is the
scenic drive to end all
scenic drives. The 75
overlooks, with views
into the Shenandoah
Valley and the Piedmont,are all breathtaking.
In spring and summer,
endless variations on
the color green are
sure to enchant, just
as the vibrant reds and
yellows will amaze you
in autumn. This might
be your chance to finally
hike a section of the
Appalachian Trail, which
crosses Skyline Drive at
32 places.
The logical first stop
on an exploration of
Skyline and Shenandoah
National Park is the
Dickey Ridge Visitors
Center (%540-635-3566;
Skyline Dr, mile 4.6; h9am-
5pm Apr-Nov). It’s not just
an informative leaping-
off point; it’s a building
with a fascinating history
all of its own. This spot
originally operated as a‘wild’ dining hall in 1908
(back then, that simply
meant it had a terrace
for dancing). However, it
closed during WWII and
didn’t reopen until 1958,
when it became a visitor
center. Now it’s one of
the park’s two main
information centers and
contains a little bit of
everything you’ll need to
get started on your trip
along Skyline Drive.The Drive » It’s a twisty 19
more miles along Skyline Drive
to Mathews Arm.5 Mathews Arm &
Elkwallow
Mathews Arm is the
first major section of
Shenandoah National
Park you encounter after
leaving Dickey’s Ridge.
Before you get there, you
can stop at a pullover
at MP 19.4 and embark
on a 4.8-mile loop hike
to Little Devils Stairs.
Getting through this
narrow gorge is as tough
as the name suggests;
expect hand-over-hand
climbing for some
portions.
At Mathews Arm
there’s a campground as
well as an amphitheater,
and some nice breezes;
early on in your drive,
you’re already at a 2750ft
altitude.
From the amphi-
theater, it’s a 6.5 mile
moderately taxing hike
to lovely Overall Run
Falls, the tallest in theTRIP HIGHLIGHTStart: 1 Front Royal
Of all the places where you can begin your journey
into Shenandoah National Park, none seem to
make quite as much sense as the Museum of the
Shenandoah Valley (%540-662-1473, 888-556-5799;
http://www.shenandoahmuseum.org; 901 Amherst St; adult/student
$10/8; h10am-4pm Tue-Sun), an institution dedicated
to its namesake. Located in the town of Winchester,
some 25 miles north of Front Royal, the museum is
an exhaustive repository of information on the valley,
Appalachian culture and its associated folkways,
some of the most unique in the USA. Exhibits are
divided into four galleries, accompanied by the
restored Glen Burnie historical home (closed until
2014) and six acres of gardens.
To get there, take I-66 west from Front Royal to
I-81 and head north for 25 miles. In Winchester, follow
signs to the museum, which is on the outskirts of
town.MUSEUM OF THE
SHENANDOAH VALLEYDETOUR:
VIRGINIA.TRIPS.21
(^) SKYLINE DRIVE